The 2009 Free Comic Book Day Gold Sponsors have been announced. Highlights for animation fans include:

Bongo Comics: 2009 Free for All Publisher: Bongo Comics The comic company that brings you The Simpsons and Futurama in the fantastic four-color format joins with retailers to reel in new readers. This special issue features a comic cornucopia of tantalizing tidbits and a spectacular sampling of the best in humor comics. (W/A) Matt Groening 32pgs, FC

Disney/Pixar’s Cars Publisher: BOOM! Studios ake a peek under the hood of BOOM! Studios’ line of Cars comics, based on the hit Disney/Pixar movie! This issue includes an exciting exerpt from Cars #1, revealing the plucky origin of Lightning McQueen. In addition, readers will be treated to never-before-seen sketches, character designs and script pages. (W) Alan J. Porter (A) Albert Carreres 24pgs, FC

Star Wars- The Clone WarsPublisher: Dark Horse Comics A special issue featuring the greatest heroes of The Clone Wars. Also in the spotlight are Emily the Strange, Usagi Yojimbo, and other all-ages favorites. Packed with 28 pages of story, the book bears two covers, one with the Star Wars characters, the other celebrating Dark Horse’s best all-ages characters. (W/A) Various 28pgs, FC

Transformers Animated/G.I. Joe Publisher: IDW Publishing G.I. Joe and the Transformers kick off IDW’s FCBD09 promotional comic with three great stories. First up is an 11-page Transformers Animated tale that features a young Optimus Prime in his days at the Autobot Academy. Next is not one, but two great G.I. Joe stories — a six-page story written by the maestro behind-the-series today, and the second written by the maestro behind the series originally. Secrets are revealed and action abounds. (W) Chuck Dixon, Larry Hama, Marty Isenberg (A) Robert Atkins, Tom Feister, Dario Brizuela 32pgs, FC

Free Comic Book Day will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2009. A full list of the Gold and Silver sponsors will be available in the January issue of Diamond Comic Distributor’s Previews catalog. For more details, visit the Free Comic Book Day website.